Sport apparel marketing apparatus

ABSTRACT

A sport apparel marketing apparatus which includes an apparel hanger suitable for displaying and marketing sport apparel. The apparel hanger includes a hook and a primary support member. At least one of the hook and the primary support member is a portion of a sporting good from the sport associated with the sport apparel being marketed. The sport apparel marketing apparatus may further include a cross member which may also be a portion of an associated sporting good. The sport apparel marketing apparatus may also include apparatus for displaying information to potential customers in addition to the apparel hanger.

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

The present application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 60/614,694, filed Sep. 29, 2004, entitled BICYCLERIM HANGER, which application is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is directed toward a sport apparel marketingapparatus, and more particularly toward a marketing apparatus includinga clothing or accessory hanger having a portion of a sporting good as afunctional element.

BACKGROUND ART

The wire coat hanger was invented by Albert J. Parkhouse in 1903. Sincethat time, numerous patents have been issued for variations on the basiccoat hanger design.

A clothing or accessory hanger, when used in a retail clothing oraccessory store, may serve two distinct utilitarian purposes. First, ahanger is typically used to conveniently support clothing or accessorieswithout introducing unnecessary wrinkles that would result from foldingthe clothing and displaying them in rack or shelf type storage. Second,an appropriately placed hanger display can enhance the marketability ofcertain types of garments for retail sale. A display may attract apotential customer's attention, and thus enhance a merchant's salessuccess.

Prior art hangers are effective at accomplishing the first utilitarianaspect of a hanger, properly supporting articles of clothing, thusavoiding unnecessary wrinkles. Prior art hangers are, however, somewhatdeficient with respect to advancing marketing and display efforts.Typical prior art hangers have nothing which distinguishes them asunique or related to a specific product, and thus prior art hangers dolittle to attract a customer's attention and enhance the marketabilityof a product. The present invention is directed toward overcoming one ormore of the problems discussed above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present invention is a sport apparel marketingapparatus which includes an apparel hanger suitable for displaying andmarketing sport apparel. The apparel hanger includes a hook and aprimary support member. At least one of the hook and the primary supportmember is a portion of a sporting good taken from a sport associatedwith the sport apparel being marketed. The portion of a sporting goodused in the hanger may be an authentic sporting good which has beenappropriately modified or it may be a suitably sized facsimile of a realsporting good.

The sport apparel marketing apparatus may further include a cross memberwhich may also be a portion of an associated sporting good. The crossmember may be operatively associated with the primary support membersuch that the apparel hanger may support more than one piece of sportapparel. The cross member may include one or more clamps.

The sport apparel marketing apparatus may also include components inaddition to the apparel hanger described above. For example, informationconcerning the apparel or products may be displayed in an associateddisplay area or tag. Other types of advertising or marketing materialsmay be associated with the apparel hanger.

Another aspect of the present invention is a method of marketing an itemof sport apparel including providing an apparel hanger having a hook anda primary support member suitable for the display and marketing of sportapparel. At least one of the hook and the primary support member is aportion of a real or facsimile sporting good from a sport associatedwith the sport apparel. The method further includes displaying an itemof sport apparel on the apparel hanger at a location visible topotential purchasers, such as a retail sporting goods store.

Another aspect of the present invention is a method of manufacturing asport apparel marketing apparatus which includes operatively associatinga hook with a primary support member to form an apparel hanger. At leastone of the primary support member and the hook provided as new materialsfor the manufacturing process is a portion of a real or facsimilesporting good.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the presentinvention featuring a cross member;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the presentinvention featuring a cross member and further featuring an elasticmember;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the presentinvention featuring a cross member fabricated of bicycle spokes;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the cross member of the embodiment of FIG. 4showing detail with respect to the spokes;

FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the presentinvention featuring a cross member fabricated of coiled bicycle spokes;

FIG. 7 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the presentinvention featuring a clamp on the cross member;

FIG. 8 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the presentinvention featuring multiple clamps on the cross member;

FIG. 9 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the presentinvention featuring multiple magnetic clamps on the cross member;

FIGS. 10-14 are plan views showing hook detail;

FIG. 15 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the presentinvention featuring an information tag;

FIG. 16 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the presentinvention suitable for marketing baseball or softball related apparel;

FIG. 17 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the presentinvention suitable for marketing golf related apparel;

FIG. 18 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the presentinvention suitable for marketing snow ski related apparel;

FIG. 19 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the presentinvention suitable for marketing snow ski related apparel;

FIGS. 20A and 20B are front elevation views of embodiments of thepresent invention suitable for marketing snowboard related apparel;

FIGS. 21A-21D are front elevation view of embodiments of the presentinvention suitable for marketing fishing related apparel; and

FIG. 22 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the presentinvention suitable for marketing archery related apparel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

One embodiment of the sport apparel marketing apparatus 10 includes anapparel hanger 12 for an article of clothing or a sport accessory. Theapparel hanger 12 is fabricated in whole or in part from materials,objects, or apparatus associated with a recreational activity, sport, orhobby. The material used to fabricate the apparel hanger 12 may be aportion of an authentic sporting good or a suitably sized facsimile of asporting good. For example, in one embodiment detailed below and shownin the FIG. 1, the apparel hanger 12 is fabricated from materialsassociated with bicycling. A sport apparel marketing apparatus 10 whichincludes an apparel hanger 12 fabricated from bicycle components can beeffectively used to display and market bicycle clothing, providingcommercial advantages to a seller of bicycle clothing and accessories.

Similarly, an apparel hanger 12 may be fabricated from golf equipmentfor use in the marketing display and sales of golf clothing andaccessories. An apparel hanger 12 may be fabricated from ski equipmentfor use in the marketing, display, and sale of ski clothing andaccessories. Other embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilledin sport apparel marketing. Several particular sport related embodimentsare described below, however, the present invention is not limited tothe described embodiments. Thus, an aspect of the present invention is asport apparel marketing apparatus 10 featuring the use ofnon-traditional hanger materials associated with a particular sport,activity or hobby to hang, display, market and sell articles of clothingor accessories associated with the sport, activity or hobby.

FIG. 1 shows an apparatus for the marketing of sport apparel 10including an apparel hanger 12 for an article of clothing or anaccessory. As discussed in detail below, the apparel hanger 12 shown inFIGS. 1-9 is particularly useful for the display and marketing ofbicycling related clothing and products. The apparel hanger 12 includesa primary support member 14 upon which clothing or accessories,collectively referred to herein as “apparel”, may be hung and displayed.In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-9, the primary support member 14 is anarcuate segment of bicycle rim 14 a. The apparel hanger 12 furtherincludes a hook 18 attached to the arcuate segment 14 a. The hook 18 ofFIGS. 1-9 may be fabricated from a bicycle spoke and, as is shown inthese figures, is a spoke hook 18 a. The spoke hook 18 a may be attachedto the arcuate segment 14 a by means of a bicycle spoke nipple 20.Alternatively, the hook 18 a may be attached to the arcuate segment 14 aby a rivet, bolt, permanent bond such as glue or a welded joint, orother attachment means.

In any embodiment of the present invention, at least one component ofthe sport apparel marketing apparatus 10 will be a portion of a sportinggood from a sport associated with the sport apparel which is beingmarketed. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-9, both the hook 18 a andthe primary support member 14 a are fabricated from portions of sportinggoods, namely a segment of bicycle rim and a bicycle spoke. It isimportant to note, however, that the present invention is not limited toembodiments where both major components of an apparel hanger 12 arefabricated from a portion of a sporting good. It is also important tonote that the sporting good employed in the apparel hanger 12 may beauthentic or a suitably sized facsimile.

Another embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIG. 2, includes across member 22. The cross member 22 may be fabricated from a secondportion of bicycle rim 22 a as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3.Alternatively, the cross member 22 may be fabricated from othermaterials. Typically, the cross member 22 may be attached to the primarysupport member 14 at the ends of the primary support member 14. Forexample, the bicycle rim cross member 22 a may attach to the arcuatesegment 14 a at first and second points 24, 26 on the arc, which willtypically be located at or near the arc's endpoints. Thus, the crossmember 22 forms an additional clothing or accessory supporting surfaceas is typical with hangers. The cross member 22 may include an elasticmember 28 spanning a portion of its length. The elastic member 28 isdepicted as a bungee cord in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The elastic member 28 may be used to secure an article of clothing 29 oran accessory to the cross member 22 by clamping the clothing into thechannel of a cross member 22 a fabricated from a bicycle rim, asdepicted in FIG. 3.

The cross member 22 may be fabricated from a material typicallyassociated with bicycles such as the rim portion 22 a of FIGS. 2-3.Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4, the cross member 22 may be fabricatedfrom long bicycle spokes 22 b. As shown in FIG. 5, simple loops may beformed in the bicycle spokes 22 b to facilitate attachment of a spokecross member 22 b to the arcuate segment 14 a and to facilitate thehanging of clothing or accessories. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6, across member 22 may be formed of coiled bicycle spokes 22 c stretchedbetween the attachment points 24, 26 on the arcuate segment 14 a in aspring fashion.

FIGS. 7-9 depict embodiments of a sport apparel marketing apparatus 10featuring an apparel hanger 12 where the cross member 22 is fabricatedfrom a steel bar 22 d. A spring clamp 30 may be attached to the bar 22 dto facilitate the clamping of clothing to the cross member 22 d.Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 8, multiple clamps 30 a, 30 b, 30 c . .. 30 n may be spaced along the bar 22 d for clamping clothing or smallaccessories. The clamps 30 b, 30 b, 30 c . . . 30 n may be recycledpaper or clipboard clamps to further promote a theme of the apparelhanger 12 utilizing commonly recognizable parts. FIG. 9 depicts anembodiment of an apparel hanger 12 where the clamps 30 a, 30 b, 30 c . .. 30 n are fabricated from one or more magnets which may be attached tothe arcuate segment 14 a by strings 32, wire cables or similarmaterials.

FIGS. 10-14 further illustrate embodiments of the sport apparelmarketing apparatus 10 suitable for marketing bicycling related apparel.FIGS. 10-14 show various configurations of the hook 18 which is attachedto the primary support member 14 to form an apparel hanger 12. Asmentioned above, the hook 18 may, in certain embodiments, be a spokehook 18 a fabricated from a recycled or new bicycle spoke; the hook 18 amay be formed for easy hanging on a typical clothing hanger rod, asshown in FIG. 10. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 11, the hook 18 acould be formed as a captive member which is slidably, but notremovably, attached to a display rod to assure that a given apparelhanger 12 remains attached to a given display and is not removed by acustomer. A spoke hook 18 a can also be configured to attach to a slator grid display wall as is shown in FIG. 12. As shown on FIG. 13, sportapparel marketing apparatus 10 may feature a label 32 showing sizing orother information which can be attached to the apparel hanger 12 at thehook 18 a. Alternatively, the hook 18 a may be configured to hold aseries of primary support structures 14 in a vertical display as shownin FIG. 14.

The sport apparel marketing apparatus 10 may include components inaddition to the apparel hanger 12 as described above, for example, thelabel 32 of FIG. 14. In addition, other marketing information concerningthe sport related apparel or products may be included in a display area34 as shown in FIG. 15.

The embodiments of the sport apparel marketing apparatus 10 describedabove may include apparel hangers 12 sized to support, display, andmarket any size of shirts, jackets, pants, accessories, or otherapparel. The present invention is not limited to an apparatus formarketing any particular size of apparel; for example, the apparelhanger 12 of a sport apparel marketing apparatus 10 may be appropriatelysized for children's clothes, socks, gloves, or other relatively smallitems.

The sport apparel marketing apparatus 10 can, in alternativeembodiments, be manufactured from apparatus associated with any sport,hobby, or activity, thus the present invention is suitable for marketingvarious types of apparel. For example, FIG. 16 illustrates a sportapparel marketing apparatus 10 including an apparel hanger 12 featuringa primary support member 14 fabricated from a real or facsimile baseballor softball bat 14 b. Similarly, FIG. 17 shows a sport apparel marketingapparatus 10 including an apparel hanger 12 fabricated from a real orfacsimile golf club. In this embodiment, each of the hook 18 b, primarysupport member 14 c, and cross member 22 e can be fabricated from asingle golf club.

FIGS. 18 and 19 illustrate two possible configurations of sport apparelmarketing apparatus 10 suitable for marketing ski apparel. In the FIG.18 embodiment, the primary support member 14 d includes a flexed portionof a downhill snow ski, and the cross member 22 f is fabricated from aportion of a ski pole. In addition, the hook 18 c may be fabricated froma curved and molded portion cut or removed from the center of a ski.Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 19, the primary support member 14 may bea section of un-flexed ski 14 e.

As is shown in FIGS. 20A and 20B, multiple apparel hangers 12 suitablefor the marketing of snowboarding related apparel may be fabricated froma single snowboard featuring a hook 18 d, primary support member 14 f,and a cross member 22 g fashioned from the snowboard body 36. Similarly,as is shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, sport apparel marketing apparatus 10including an apparel hanger 12 may be fabricated from sporting goodscommonly associated with fishing or archery.

FIGS. 21A-D illustrate four alternative embodiments where an apparelhanger 12 may feature a primary support member 14 which is a segment offishing rod 14 g. The hook 18 of an apparel hanger 12 with utility formarketing fishing apparel may be fabricated from an oversized facsimilefish hook 18 e or a rod portion 18 f. Similarly, the cross member 22 maybe manufactured from a rod portion 22 h or a length of fishing line 22i.

The sport apparel marketing apparatus 10 suitable for marketing archeryrelated apparel, shown in FIG. 22, features a primary support member 14h fashioned from a suitably sized bow facsimile, a hook 18 g fashionedfrom a suitably sized arrow facsimile, and a bowstring cross member 22j.

Although described above and shown in the accompanying figures withrespect to certain specific sports, the present invention is not limitedto an apparatus for marketing apparel associated with only the sportsillustrated. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that thepresent invention may be implemented with respect to the marketing ofapparel associated with any sport, pastime, or hobby.

Another embodiment of the present invention is a method of marketing anitem of sport apparel. The method includes providing one or more apparelhangers 12, including at least one portion of a sporting good from asport associated with the sport apparel displayed for sale. The methodfurther includes displaying an item of sport apparel on the appropriateapparel hanger 12 at a location visible to potential purchasers of thesport apparel, such as a retail sales location.

Another embodiment of the present invention includes a method ofmanufacturing a sport apparel marketing apparatus 10 which includesproviding a hook 18 and a primary support member 14, wherein at leastone of the hook 18 and primary support member 14 is a portion of asporting good. The method further includes fixing, attaching, orotherwise operatively associating the hook 18 with the primary supportmember 14 to form an apparel hanger 12. The method of manufacturing asport apparel marketing apparatus 10 may include providing a crossmember 22 and operatively associating the cross member 22 with theprimary support member 14 to form an apparel hanger 12 suitable forholding more than one item of apparel.

Each of the embodiments of the sport apparel marketing apparatus 10illustrated and described above includes an apparel hanger 12constructed in whole or in part from a portion of a sporting goodassociated with the sport apparel. The use of this non-traditionalmaterial for hanger construction results in several marketing advantagesto a sport or hobby clothing and accessory retailer. Customers at sportapparel shops will be intrigued by the non-traditional hanger material,and thus attracted to the products displayed thereon. In addition,hangers constructed from rim segments, spokes, skis, bows, bats, golfclubs, fishing equipment, and other real or facsimile sport relatedmaterials will enhance the theme and decor presented in a sport apparelshop.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to a number of embodiments, it would be understood by thoseskilled in the art that changes in the form and details may be made tothe various embodiments disclosed herein without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention and that the various embodimentsdisclosed herein are not intended to act as limitations on the scope ofthe claims.

1. A sport apparel marketing apparatus comprising an apparel hangerhaving a hook and a primary support member wherein at least one of thehook and the primary support member is a portion of a sporting good froma sport associated with the sport apparel.
 2. The sport apparelmarketing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a cross member whereinat least one of the hook, the primary support member and the crossmember is a portion of a sporting good from a sport associated with thesport apparel.
 3. The sport apparel marketing apparatus of claim 2wherein the cross member further comprises one or more clamps.
 4. Thesport apparel marketing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the primary supportmember is selected from a group consisting of an arcuate segment of abicycle rim, a segment of a fishing rod; a portion of a bow; a portionof a ski, a portion of a golf club, a portion of a bat, and a portion ofa snowboard.
 5. The sport apparel marketing apparatus of claim 1 whereinthe hook is selected from a group consisting of a portion of a wheelspoke, a fishing hook, a portion of a golf club, a portion of a ski, aportion of an arrow and a portion of a snowboard.
 6. The sport apparelmarketing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cross member is selected froma group consisting of a golf club shaft, a segment of a fishing rod, aski pole, a portion of a snowboard and a bicycle spoke.
 7. A method ofmarketing an item of sport apparel comprising: providing an apparelhanger having a hook and a primary support member wherein at least oneof the hook and the primary support member is a portion of a sportinggood from a sport associated with the sport apparel; displaying an itemof sport apparel on the apparel hanger at a location visible topotential purchasers of the sport apparel.
 8. The method of marketing anitem of sport apparel of claim 7 further comprising providing theapparel hanger with a cross member wherein at least one of the hook, theprimary support member and the cross member is a portion of a sportinggood from a sport associated with the sport apparel.
 9. The method ofmarketing an item of sport apparel of claim 8 further comprisingproviding the cross member with one or more clamps.
 10. The method ofmarketing an item of sport apparel of claim 7 wherein the primarysupport member is selected from a group consisting of an arcuate segmentof a bicycle rim, a segment of a fishing rod; a portion of a bow; aportion of a ski, a portion of a golf club, a portion of a bat, and aportion of a snowboard.
 11. The method of marketing an item of sportapparel of claim 7 wherein the hook is selected from a group consistingof a portion of a wheel spoke, a fishing hook, a portion of a golf club,a portion of a ski, a portion of an arrow and a portion of a snowboard.12. The method of marketing an item of sport apparel of claim 7 whereinthe cross member is selected from a group consisting of a golf clubshaft, a segment of a fishing rod, a ski pole, a portion of a snowboardand a bicycle spoke.
 13. A method of manufacturing a sport apparelmarketing apparatus comprising: providing a hook; providing a primarysupport member, wherein at least one of the hook and the primary supportmember is a portion of a sporting good; operatively associating the hookwith the primary support member to form an apparel hanger.
 14. Themethod of manufacturing a sport apparel marketing apparatus of claim 13further comprising providing a cross member wherein at least one of thehook, the primary support member and the cross member is a portion of asporting good from a sport associated with the sport apparel; andoperatively associating the cross member with the primary support memberto form an apparel hanger.
 15. The method of manufacturing a sportapparel marketing apparatus of claim 14 further comprising operativelyassociating one or more clamps with the cross member.
 16. The method ofmanufacturing a sport apparel marketing apparatus of claim 13 whereinthe primary support member is selected from a group consisting of anarcuate segment of a bicycle rim, a segment of a fishing rod; a portionof a bow; a portion of a ski, a portion of a golf club, a portion of abat, and a portion of a snowboard.
 17. The method of manufacturing asport apparel marketing apparatus of claim 13 wherein the hook isselected from a group consisting of a portion of a wheel spoke, afishing hook, a portion of a golf club, a portion of a ski, a portion ofan arrow and a portion of a snowboard.
 18. The method of manufacturing asport apparel marketing apparatus of claim 13 wherein the cross memberis selected from a group consisting of a golf club shaft, a segment of afishing rod, a ski pole, a portion of a snowboard and a bicycle spoke.